Improvement in manufacture of illuminating-gas



J. ABSTERDAM Gas Manufacture. I No. 84.981 j I at ented Dec. 15,1868.

NFHERS, PHOTmLrmOGHAPHER. WASHINGTON. n10.

UNIT-ED" STATEslPATENT Onrton.

JoHN'ABsrEnDAM, {on NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN MANUFACTURE OF ILLLUMINATING-GASWITH OTHERPRODUCTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 8 1,981, dated December 15, 1868.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ABSTERDAM, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Illuminating-Gas; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a process for manufacturing illuminating-gas, in which hydrocarbon fluids-such as rosin, rosin-oil, crude petroleum, waste vapors from oil-wells, &c.are passed through a retort filled with metallic ore heated to a red heat, in such a manner that a portion of the surplus carbon contained in said hydrocarbon fluids will combine with the ore, and the other with the oxygen of the ore, and thereby a double object is accomplished viz., the production of a permanent illuminatin g-gas, and also the reduction or conversion of the ore into a sponge of superior quality. 7

In order to better explain'my process, I will refer to the accompanying drawing, which represents a longitudinal vertical section of an apparatus such as may be used in carrying out my invention.

A represents a retort, which is supported by the brick wall B, that forms a fire-place and fine, so that said retort, together with its contents, can be readily heated to any desired degree. This retort is intended to be charged with metallic ore, particularly iron-ore, and it is provided with a pipe, 0, through which hy-' drocarbon liquid or fluid-such as rosin-oi], crude petroleum, waste vapors from oil-wells, waste oils, or vapors from oil-distilleries-can be injected.

WVhen the hydrocarbon is to be injected in a liquid form the pipe G must form a siphon, as shown, to prevent the escape of gas evolved in the retort; but if the hydrocarbon is to be introduced in a vapor form, the siphon can be dispensed with.

The supply-pipe C is situated near to one end of the retort, and from the opposite end thereof emanates the exit-pipe D.

When the hydrocarbon fluid comes in contact with the red-hot metallic ore in the retort it is converted into gas, and a portion of its carbon combines with the ore, and the other with the oxygen of the ore, so that the ore is reduced, and at the same time a permanent illuminating-gas is produced.

I am aware that illuminating-gas has been manufactured by introducing hydrocarbon liquids, such as rosin-oil or petroleum, into a retort filled with red-hot coke, pumice-stone, brickbats, or other refractory and absorbent materials, which are capable of abstracting from the hydrocarbon vapors a portion of their carbon.': This process, however, has the great disadvantage that the coke or other material, after a short time, becomes surcharged with carbon, so that it has to be removed from the retort; and when the coke or other material is partially surcharged its decarbonizing effect is decreased, so that the gas produced is of an unequal quality; and, finally, the surcharged coke or other material, when removed from the retort, has very little, if any, commercial value.

By using metallic ores as the absorbent material I gain thefollowing decided advantages:

First, the oxygen of the ore enters into a chemical combination with the carbon and forms a gaseous compound, which passes ofl", leaving the ore always in the proper condition to act on the hydrocarbon liquid until it (the ore) is entirely deoxidized.

Second, the iron-ore, after havingbeen treated with hydrocarbon vapors or liquids, forms a sponge of great value, so that the cost of manufacturing illuminating-gas is materially reduced, as the sponge can be immediately balled and hammered into blooms ready to be rolled into bars, as wrought-iron, or may be cut up in pieces, after being rolled and melted in crucibles into cast-steel, instead of the cemented bars of iron generally used for the same.

The operation is as follows: In carrying out my invention I use the same kind of retorts as now used for making gas from coal, only'I set and fit them the same as now used for manufacturing illuminating-gas from rosin or rosinoil. I set the retorts horizontal or upright, as the case may require; but in charging the retort I introduce therein metallic ore broken up insuitable fragments, so that the same will allow the vapors or the hydrocarbon fluid to pass freely through the charge and up the exit-pipe and when it is desired to charge the retort with the ore broken in very small fragments, then I introduce in the retort, together with the ore, some solid carbonaceous subcarbon liquids in a separate retort or still, and

submit them to the process of distillation. In that case I connect the pipe a to the said still or retort, and pass the distilled vapors directly through the charge of ore in the retort A, and continue the operation until the ore in the retort is sufficiently deprived of its oxygen or suflicientlycarbonized. Then I renew the charge of ore, and the operation is continued as before described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is w The within-described process of manufacturing illuminating-gas, by passing hydrocarbon fluids through a retort charged with metallic ore, as set forth.

JOHN ABSTERDAM. Witnesses: I

W. HAUFF, ERNEST F. KASTENHUBER. 

